Tag Archives: sleep disorders

Are Sleep Aids Safe?

Do you rely on sleep aids to help you sleep? You might be wondering if sleep aids are safe. I will readily admit that I depend on them on a weekly basis. Most of the time I feel sleep-deprived, some of that is brought on by me and some of that is due to my body going through changes. Getting up early everyday and not getting adequate sleep at night can make for challenging days so I do look forward to Friday night when I can take a sleep aid and get a solid night of sleep. This also allows … Continue reading →

Losing Sleep to Popcorn Brain

Do you ever find your mind too active to sleep? Maybe you’re turning one problem over and over in your head… or maybe your thoughts are pinging from one topic to another, racing along merrily while the rest of you desperately wants to rest. I like to call that hopping from one thought to another “popcorn brain”. Pop! A thought goes off over here. Pop! A totally different thought goes off over there! And if you imagine your head like a popcorn popper, it can quickly fill up with thoughts, leaving you very little space in which to calm down … Continue reading →

Five Quick Fixes for Snoring (and One Slow Fix)

Experts estimate that nearly half of all adults snore. Are you one of them? Are you troubled by snoring (your own or your bed mate’s)? My mom used to snore — loud enough that I could hear her from my room with the door closed. She gave those Breathe Right nasal strips a try and they REALLY cut back on the snoring. She hasn’t stopped entirely, but the nasal strips did make a definite difference. Here are some more quick fixes for nighttime noise that may help you AND your spouse get a good night’s sleep. Change the way you … Continue reading →

Having Trouble Sleeping? (4)

In this the concluding article in the present series on getting a better night’s sleep, we look at the issues of using alcohol as a sleep inducer and the importance of daily exercise in getting a good night’s sleep. But you can’t just exercise at any time, so read on! 6. Give the nightcap a miss Although alcohol is a well known muscle relaxant and it does make you more relaxed, it sounds like an excellent sleeping aid, right? Wrong! Alcohol is often used to unwind at the end of a long and stressful day but unfortunately taking alcohol before … Continue reading →

Having Trouble Sleeping? (3)

So far we have addressed poor sleeping habits such as not waking at the same time each day, using the bedroom for activities other than sleeping, the trouble with lights in the bedroom, and the emotional effects of a messy bedroom. You can find the links to the first two articles in this series below. Today we look at the issues of anxiety and stress in sleep disorders. 5. Worry and anxiety and their effect on sleep We all intuitively know that anxiety and worry are professional sleep killers. Yet we can’t always avoid worry and anxiety in our lives, … Continue reading →

Having Trouble Sleeping? (2)

In our previous blog on better sleeping habits (see link below), we looked at the importance of getting up at the same time each day, including weekends, and the detrimental effects of electronic appliances such as televisions in the bedroom. Today we’ll look at more tips for getting the health and beauty sleep that you need. 3. Declutter your bedroom Is your bed a rumpled mess with sheets half pulled off and blankets tossed onto the floor? Does the rest of your bedroom look like a hurricane’s been through it? Be honest, would you have trouble knowing whether a burglar … Continue reading →

Having Trouble Sleeping? (1)

Sleep is essential to good mental health and even just a good life! One night of bad sleep can interfere with your day. It’s no wonder then that chronic sleep deprivation can interfere with your life. The main causes of poor sleep are depression and anxiety, together with structural throat problems. But there are also other, less critical, reasons for that “tired all the time” feeling. Let’s have a look at some basic sleep hygiene rules. 1. Irregular waking patterns Sleep researcher Dr. Adam Fletcher claims that waking up at the same time every day is a cornerstone of good … Continue reading →

Men Who Drink Are At Risk For Sleep Disorders

A new study from the University of Wisconsin at Madison found that men who habitually consume alcohol are twenty-five percent more likely to have a sleep related breathing disorder than those who do not. The study looked at both men and women, but there was no significant relationship between alcohol consumption and sleep related breathing disorders. This may have been due to the fact that the 645 women in the study tended to generally drink less habitually than the 775 men in the study. Further studies are planned to look at the relationship between alcohol and sleep related breathing disorders … Continue reading →

The Bedtime Jitters- Dealing with Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Leg Sydrome (RLS) is an irresistible urge to move your legs that occurs when you go to bed and all during the night. 10% of the population experiences this problem. If you have RLS, the constant movement interferes with your ability to get a good night’s sleep. These sensations and your body’s reactions to them will either partially, or fully wake you multiple times during the night. RLS can be inherited and is most likely to show up after age 40. It is also a neurological problem, so people with diabetes, kidney disease, or back problems will have a … Continue reading →

Anxiety and sleeping problems

If you’re an anxious person, chances are you also experience sleeping problems from time to time. Depending on individual anxiety levels and environmental stressors in your life, the natural sleep process can be easily disturbed by stressful events which, in turn, lead to further stress and fatigue. Where stress is chronic, sleep disorders may occur. Problems with the wake-sleep cycle are common both among anxious people and those undergoing long periods of periods of stress or depression. When we are stressed, serotonin, a neurotransmitter which performs important roles in the processing of messages in the brain, can affect melatonin levels. … Continue reading →